By advancing to candidacy, graduate students will officially become PhD candidates at UT. This involves identifying a tentative research area and topic, and assembling a committee of faculty members who will evaluate the research and eventually sign off on the dissertation while also serving as a resource of complementary experts who will be available to provide advice and guidance throughout the PhD.
A PhD student is expected to advance to candidacy within one year after attempting 33 hours of coursework within the Graduate Program, excluding approved leaves of absence. Advancing to candidacy should be done as soon as a general research area and topic has have been identified.
Advancing to candidacy consists of two major steps: forming an approved PhD committee and going through a candidacy evaluation with the committee members.
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